Friday, April 26, 2024

Technology News and More-Friday Edition...

Technology News and More...



xAI, Elon Musk’s OpenAI rival, is closing on $6B in funding and X, his social network, is already one of its shareholders



100+TechCrunch / 3h
xAI, Elon Musk’s 10-month-old competitor to the AI phenom OpenAI, is raising $6 billion on a pre-money valuation of $18 billion, according to one trusted source close to the deal. The deal – which would give investors one quarter of the company – is expected to close in the next few weeks unless the terms […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


10 Years Ago Today, Star Wars Changed Forever
300+Gizmodo / 12h
Arguably the most important, game-changing event in the history of Star Wars storytelling happened 10 years ago today. On April 25, 2014, Lucasfilm announced that the Star Wars Expanded Universe was being pushed aside. All future storytelling would be part of the same, cohesive canon, and the EU stories fans knew and… Read more...


Catholic Group Defrocks AI Priest After It Gave Strange Answers
1KFuturism / 16h
The Catholic advocacy group Catholic Answers released an AI priest called "Father Justin" earlier this week — but quickly defrocked the chatbot after it repeatedly claimed it was a real member of the clergy. Earlier in the week, Futurism engaged in an exchange with the bot, which really committed to the bit: it claimed it was a real priest, saying it lived in Assisi, Italy and that "from a young




Researchers produce thinnest sheet of metal ever using a 100-year old Japanese technique — Goldene could pave way for super catalysts, ultra high density optical storage and much more
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 3h
Described by Nature as the “gilded cousin of Graphene”, Goldene is a one-atom-thick sheet of gold created by scientists from Linköping University (LiU) in Sweden. It has unique properties that the researchers believe could pave the way for applications such as carbon dioxide conversion, hydrogen production, water purification, and communication. Shun Kashiwaya, a researcher at the Materials Desig


A lifetime Headway Premium plan is on sale for under £50
Mashable / 3h
TL;DR: A lifetime subscription to Headway Premium is on sale for £48.51, saving you 80% on list price. Headway Premium is a mobile app that provides fun and easy self-growth within 15-minute bite-sized nonfiction book summaries. Now you can get a lifetime of advice with Headway Premium for just £48.51 for a limited time. Unfortunately, many people are caught up in busy lives, and making time to s


How to watch Kolkata Knight Riders vs. Punjab Kings online for free
Mashable / 3h
TL;DR: Watch Kolkata Knight Riders vs. Punjab Kings in the IPL for free on JioCinema . Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN . The 2024 IPL season is in full swing, and as we approach the fourth week of matches, who's next in line? Cricket enthusiasts will be eagerly awaiting the next fixture as the Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings will soon take to


How to watch the 2024 MotoGP Spanish Grand Prix online for free
Mashable / 3h
TL;DR: Watch the 2024 MotoGP Spanish Grand Prix for free on ServusTV . Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN . We'll let you in on a little secret: MotoGP is where the really fun racing can be found. Sure, F1 gets most of the attention. But MotoGP is far less predictable and a whole lot more fun. If you're into watching extremely talented riders constantly


How to watch Real Sociedad vs. Real Madrid online for free
Mashable / 3h
TL;DR: Stream Real Sociedad vs. Real Madrid in La Liga for free on ITVX . Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN . Real Madrid haven't been officially confirmed as La Liga champions just yet, but a few more wins should do the job. Next up for Carlo Ancelotti's side is a trip to San Sebastián to play Real Sociedad. It's not going to be an easy game, but any


A mystery Wear OS watch has just surfaced as the Pixel Watch 3 gets closer
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 3h
An FCC (Federal Communications Commission) listing was recently spotted indicating that a new WearOS smartwatch by Google is currently in the works with the model number G4SKY. The post itself doesn’t specifically say it’s a smartwatch. However, discovered instructions on viewing the “FCC E-label” strongly suggest that it is indeed a wearable. Don't get too excited because it’s most likely not th


Deepfake of Baltimore Principal Leads to Arrest of School Employee
21NYT > Technology / 4h
A high school athletic director in the Baltimore area was arrested after he used A.I., the police said, to make a racist and antisemitic audio clip.


Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for April 26
Mashable / 5h
Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle . As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer. If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for April 26's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you. Where did Wordle c


Eight Advanced Google Docs Features You Should Be Using
LifeHacker / 5h
Beneath their surfaces, word processors like Google Docs have a treasure trove of hidden features that make it easier to draft large documents and collaborate on them with coworkers. I have covered a few Google Docs tips before, but now I have a few more to share. 1. Write in Markdown in Google Docs Credit: Saikat Basu Google Docs supports some of the Markdown syntax. This offers a simple way to


The Samsung Galaxy S24 Lineup Is up to $200 Off
LifeHacker / 5h
When the Samsung Galaxy S24 lineup was released earlier this year, they came with Amazon gift cards of up to $200 if you preordered from Amazon. Now, you can get those same gift card amounts directly discounted from the list prices. The Galaxy S24 , Galaxy S24+ , and Galaxy S24 Ultra are all at their lowest price since their January release, according to price checking tools . The Galaxy S24 line


NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for April 26
Mashable / 6h
Connections is the latest New York Times word game that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle , Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle. If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the e


Google Thinks It Can Cash In on Generative AI. Microsoft Already Has
39Wired / 6h
While both Alphabet and Microsoft boasted strong quarterly earnings, only one tech giant showed that its generative AI bet is starting to pay off.


Zomato’s quick commerce unit Blinkit eclipses core food business in value, says Goldman Sachs
TechCrunch / 6h
Goldman Sachs said in a report late Thursday that Indian food delivery giant Zomato’s quick commerce arm Blinkit is now more valuable than its core food delivery business, as per the bank’s sum-of-the-parts analysis. The investment bank estimates Blinkit’s implied value at 119 Indian rupees per share ($1.43) or about $13 billion, while Zomato’s food […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For


Pixar Fest Is Turning Red With Mei the Panda and 4*Town at Disney Parks
Gizmodo / 6h
Fans of Pixar’s sleeper hit Turning Red will be happy to know that Mei and her friends have taken over both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure in a big way. Read more...


The FTC’s ban on noncompete clauses could be good for startups. But it also might be struck down.
TechCrunch / 7h
The Federal Trade Commission voted 3-2 to ban the use of most noncompete agreements on Tuesday. This ruling means companies can’t require employees who aren’t senior executives to wait a set amount of time before joining a competitor or launching their own company in the same category. While the FTC’s ruling will impact industries like […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use


Ask Yourself These Two Questions Before You Keep Something ‘Just in Case’
LifeHacker / 7h
Like so much else, decluttering requires you to consider both the theoretical and the practical. Yes, you have to get in there at some point and physically start throwing things away and organizing what you keep, but you also have to do a little work on and with yourself. Not to sound all woo-woo, but there is an element of visualization and self-knowledge that comes into play. For instance, some


Russia stands alone in vetoing UN resolution on nuclear weapons in space
Ars Technica - All content / 7h
Enlarge / A meeting of the UN Security Council on April 14. (credit: Fatih Aktas/Anadolu via Getty Images ) Russia vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution Wednesday that would have reaffirmed a nearly 50-year-old ban on placing weapons of mass destruction into orbit, two months after reports Russia has plans to do just that. Russia's vote against the resolution was no surprise. As one


Three Reasons You Should Turn Down Unsolicited Real Estate Offers
LifeHacker / 8h
If you own a home these days you’re increasingly lucky in a lot of ways. If you bought before the recent interest rate hikes, you’re probably sitting on a nice, low rate that makes current buyers seethe with jealousy. And considering that there’s a lack of available homes to buy (the housing deficit in the U.S. is estimated to remain between 1-2 million for the foreseeable future), your property


Norwest Venture Partners raises $3B for 17th vehicle, maintaining fund size despite market downturn
TechCrunch / 8h
Norwest Venture Partners, a 65-year-old firm backed solely by Wells Fargo, has raised its 17th fund at $3 billion. That’s a noteworthy number, given that NVP last raised the same amount in December 2021. That was the peak of the venture boom, and at that time, the firm said it increased its capital pool by […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


How to Claim Your Part of a $5.6 Million Ring Settlement
34NYT > Technology / 8h
The Federal Trade Commission is sending payments to customers who had certain Ring home security cameras and accounts during a particular time period, the agency said.


Defense startup True Anomaly lays off around 25%, cancels summer internship
TechCrunch / 8h
Space and defense startup True Anomaly has laid off around 25% of its workforce and cancelled its summer internship program, TechCrunch has learned. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


Quordle today – hints and answers for Friday, April 26 (game #823)
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 8h
Another working week (for some of us) comes to an end with another set of Quordle puzzles to solve. Your challenge, should you accept it, is to find four words within nine guesses, with all letters you play appearing in each of the segments. It's fun, it's tricky, and you'll find hints for it (and the Quordle answers) below. SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read


NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Friday, April 26 (game #54)
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 8h
It's time to tackle another of the NYT's Strands puzzles. The aim here is to uncover a series of words hidden within a grid of letters and united by a single theme. It's easy to pick up, often difficult to solve and a great addition to your daily routine if you already play the likes of Wordle and Connections. So read on for a few helpful hints and my commentary on today's Strands puzzle. SPOILER


Tech brands are forcing AI into your gadgets—whether you asked for it or not
Ars Technica - All content / 8h
Enlarge / Tech brands love hollering about the purported thrills of AI these days. (credit: Getty ) Logitech announced a new mouse last week. A company rep reached out to inform Ars of Logitech’s “newest wireless mouse.” The gadget’s product page reads the same as of this writing. I’ve had good experience with Logitech mice, especially wireless ones, one of which I'm using now . So I was keen to


Dallas Airline Passenger Caught On Video Shoplifting, Tells Police The Store Gave Him The Wallet – Free!
View from the Wing / 9h
Everything is on camera. The wallet had gone missing. Clerks saw it was taken and called the police. Continue reading ...


Why You Should Use Virtual Cards to Pay for Subscriptions
LifeHacker / 9h
If you have subscriptions to services like Netflix and Uber Eats—or you simply love to sign up for free trials that require you to enter a credit card—you should consider using virtual cards as your go-to payment method. Unlike your physical credit cards, virtual cards generate unique account numbers that can be used for transactions, meaning that your actual card number is protected. You can hav


A Complete Timeline of the TikTok Ban in the US
LifeHacker / 9h
Whether or not you use the app, you've probably heard a thing or two about the "TikTok ban." It's true: President Biden signed the legislation into law on Wednesday , following an unusual bipartisan effort in both chambers of Congress. How did we get here, and is TikTok really going away for good? A very brief history of TikTok TikTok hasn't always been TikTok. The app so many Americans know and


Boeing’s Starliner set to fly astronauts for the first time on May 6
TechCrunch / 9h
This will mark Starliner’s second flight to the ISS: The first, an uncrewed mission called Orbital Flight Test-2, took place in May 2022. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


Ella Purnell Breaks Down Fallout's Big Season Finale Twists
Gizmodo / 9h
Like the video games before it, Fallout is a hit. The Prime Video series is getting a second season , which means we’ll get to see what’s next for Ella Purnell’s Lucy. After leaving the artificial confines of Vault 33, she got a crash course in surface-dwelling life in the post-apocalyptic world—as well as the sinister… Read more...


Three women contract HIV from dirty “vampire facials” at unlicensed spa
46Ars Technica - All content / 9h
Enlarge / Drops of the blood going onto an HIV quick test. (credit: Getty | BRITTA PEDERSEN ) Trendy, unproven "vampire facials" performed at an unlicensed spa in New Mexico left at least three women with HIV infections. This marks the first time that cosmetic procedures have been associated with an HIV outbreak, according to a detailed report of the outbreak investigation published today. Ars re


HMD’s first self-branded phones are all under $200
Ars Technica - All content / 9h
The HMD Pulse base model. [credit: HMD ] HMD has been known as the manufacturer of Nokia-branded phones for years now, but now the company wants to start selling phones under its own brand. The first is the "HMD Pulse" line, a series of three low-end phones that are headed for Europe. The US is getting an HMD-branded phone, too—the HMD Vibe—but that won't be out until May. Europe's getting the 14


Apple releases eight small AI language models aimed at on-device use
21Ars Technica - All content / 9h
Enlarge (credit: Getty Images) In the world of AI, what might be called "small language models" have been growing in popularity recently because they can be run on a local device instead of requiring data center-grade computers in the cloud. On Wednesday, Apple introduced a set of tiny source-available AI language models called OpenELM that are small enough to run directly on a smartphone. They'r


Monster growth! The cruise boom at Carnival continues with debut of another new ship
The Points Guy / 10h
Make that five new ships for Carnival Cruise Line in just 18 months. The world’s second-biggest cruise brand on Thursday welcomed the first cruisers aboard yet another new vessel, the 4,126-passenger Carnival Firenze, in Long Beach, California. The 135,156-ton ship is debuting just four months after Carnival unveiled the even bigger 5,374-passenger Carnival Jubilee and 11 months after the line be


How to Disconnect Your Windows Account From the Cloud
LifeHacker / 10h
If you're already using Windows 11 , that means you likely set it up using a Microsoft account, unless you already checked out our guide on how to use a local account when setting up Windows 11 . If you've already set up a Microsoft account, don't despair: You still aren't locked into using a cloud-based account on your PC. Instead, you can actually disconnect your Microsoft account from the clou


A Random Reminder That NASA Drew a Big Ol’ Dick on the Surface of Mars
200+Futurism / 10h
Never Forget Where were you when NASA's Spirit rover drew a dick in Martian dust? For nearly 70 years, NASA — often with help from international friends — has been charting human history in the cosmos. Landing men on the Moon! Sending the Juno spacecraft to Jupiter! Launching the science-accelerating Hubble Space Telescope, and then vaulting the extraordinary James Webb Space Telescope into the h


Assigned seats? Extra legroom? Southwest mulls changing its famous open seating
200+The Points Guy / 10h
Southwest Airlines is considering making major changes to its seating process. The airline is researching “transformational options” surrounding its storied single-class, open-cabin format, CEO Bob Jordan said Thursday, as the airline seeks to form new streams of revenue and boost existing ones. Want more airline-specific news? Sign up for TPG’s free biweekly Aviation newsletter . Speaking during


Net Neutrality Is Back. Yes, You Should Care
53Gizmodo / 10h
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) killed net neutrality back in 2017 under former president Donald Trump, but on Thursday, it brought it back from the dead. Read more...


Snap says total watch time on its TikTok competitor increased more than 125%
TechCrunch / 10h
As part of its Q1 2024 earning release, Snap revealed that total watch time on its TikTok competitor, Spotlight, increased more than 125% year-over-year. Snapchat launched the TikTok-like feed in late 2020 as a way to compete with the rising popularity of TikTok. The company is touting the success of its short-from video feed a […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


Apple is launching new iPads May 7: Here's what to expect from the 'Let Loose' event
Engadget / 10h
Apple has scheduled its next product showcase for May 7 , a few weeks before the Worldwide Developers Conference gets under way . While the company is, as usual, being a bit coy about what's on deck, the signs are all there. It had been rumored for months that Apple would refresh its iPad lineup in May. Sure enough, the image on the announcement for this "Let Loose" event includes an illustration


American Airlines Flight Attendants “Union Thug” Demands Free Palestine, Overthrow Capitalism
View from the Wing / 10h
Flight attendants at American Airlines are getting increasingly frustrated. Here's what American's Philadelphia base is promoting, an interesting amalgamation of complaints about society as well as a reflection on their own leadership: Being a "union thug" "overthrow capitalism" "solidarity with Palestine" Continue reading ...


AeroNet Wireless Launches 10Gbps Internet Plan: A Landmark Moment in Puerto Rico’s Telecommunications Industry
Next Big Future / 10h
San Juan, Puerto Rico, April 25th, 2024, CyberNewsWire The telecom company AeroNet Wireless announced the launch of its new 10Gbps speed Internet plan, marking an important landmark for the telecommunications sector in Puerto Rico. “We have invested millions to expand and strengthen our network, demonstrating our commitment to launching Puerto Rico to the next level ... Read more


Ron Baron Describes Unreleased Tesla FSD
Next Big Future / 10h
Billionaire investor and fund manager Ron Baron describes his ride in what seems to be the unreleased version of Tesla FSD. Waymo are $250,000 each. Ron was in California on Monday last week and was taken on a ride with the latest version of Tesla FSD. He says it this moment in [supervised] autonomous. It ... Read more


It’s a sunny day for Google Cloud
29TechCrunch / 10h
Google Cloud had a blockbuster quarter, driving parent company Alphabet's revenues — and stock price — to impressive highs. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


Your first look at Lufthansa’s Allegris aircraft, with new seating in all cabins and a shock in first class
60The Points Guy / 10h
Seven years after it was first announced, the wait is finally over. Lufthansa’s first aircraft equipped with the carrier’s new “ Allegris ” cabin has landed, with new seats in all classes. TPG got a sneak peek Thursday in Munich. The inaugural flight featuring the new Lufthansa cabin is scheduled to depart Wednesday from Munich Airport (MUC) to Vancouver International Airport (YVR) in Canada. Ser


Hyatt’s Mr & Mrs Smith hotels get dynamic pricing: Here’s what you need to know
28The Points Guy / 10h
In 2023, Hyatt acquired Mr & Mrs Smith hotels — a portfolio comprising more than 700 luxury and boutique hotels. This exciting new partnership adds 20-plus countries, including Fiji, Namibia and the British Virgin Islands, to Hyatt’s global portfolio. On Wednesday, the independent properties began being integrated into World of Hyatt ‘s network, meaning travelers can start redeeming Hyatt points


Alphabet’s Revenue Jumps 15% to $80.5 Billion
NYT > Technology / 11h
Google’s parent company topped revenue and profit estimates and said that it would offer a stock dividend for the first time.


How to Install Windows 11 Without All the Extra Junk
LifeHacker / 11h
Microsoft keeps adding more and more stuff to Windows and it often seems to get in the way more than it helps. A "clean" installation of Windows, at this point, forces you to sign up for a Microsoft account, tries to sell you cloud storage space, and is very pushy about getting you to use Microsoft Edge and Copilot. I could go on. Tiny11Builder is a third-party script that can take a Windows inst


You Can Get This Solar-Powered Flashlight and Power Bank on Sale for $40 Right Now
LifeHacker / 11h
You can get this outdoor flashlight and power bank on sale for $39.99 right now (reg. $62.99). It has 1,000 lumens of brightness, a 24-hour battery life, and four speed lighting modes. It's also rechargeable by sunlight with the built-in solar panel or with a USB-C cable, and has a fireplace simulator with adjustable flame settings. You can also use it as a 2,400mAh power bank for your devices wi


Why Meta is looking to the fediverse as the future for social media
TechCrunch / 11h
Meta’s move into the open social web, also known as the fediverse, is puzzling. Does the Facebook owner see open protocols as the future? Will it embrace the fediverse only to shut it down, shifting people back to its proprietary platforms and decimating startups building in the space? Will it bring its advertising empire to […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


Tupac’s Estate Threatens to Sue Drake for Deepfaking Dead Rapper’s Voice
Futurism / 11h
The Worst After raising a stink last year when someone used AI to spoof his voice, noted teen drama star Aubrey "Drake" Graham is now in hot water for doing the same to the late, great Tupac. As Billboard reports , an attorney for Tupac Shakur's estate sent a cease and desist letter to Drake, threatening a lawsuit if he doesn't take down his new Kendrick Lamar diss track, "Taylor Made Freestyle."


Today's the Day The Flash Was Meant to Go Missing
77Gizmodo / 11h
When The Flash launched in October 2014— the second project of the CW’s bold attempt to flesh out its own superhero cinematic universe —its premiere episode ended with a bold statement: not only would the series be still going in a decade’s time, it would have grown enough to tackle one of the most iconic stories in DC… Read more...


NVIDIA’s AI takes gaming to new heights with DLSS 3.5 and Ray Reconstruction
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 11h
If you’re a frequent gamer, by now you’ll have heard of ray tracing and NVIDIA’s DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), two powerful tools that combine to boost performance in games and provide stunning visual fidelity by replicating realistic lighting and reflections. NVIDIA pioneered these technologies in gaming with the introduction of its RTX 20-Series graphics cards, and in the two hardware ge


Microsoft Reports Rising Revenues as A.I. Investments Bear Fruit
NYT > Technology / 11h
The tech giant’s quarterly results included strong growth in cloud computing, fueled by its services in generative artificial intelligence.


There's a Rare $25 Discount on the Nintendo Switch OLED Right Now
Wired / 11h
Nintendo's top-of-the-line handheld gaming console hardly ever goes on sale, making this small discount super appealing.


Google Keep Reminders Will Sync with Tasks Later This Year
How-To Geek / 11h
Reminders made in Google Keep will soon appear in Tasks, the to-do list service that's tucked inside of Google Calendar. However, this is not an immediate change. Google says that the new reminder integration will roll out "over the next year."


Scientists Can Now See Inside a Single Cancer Cell
Gizmodo / 11h
A team in the UK hasfound a new window into cancer, thanks to a novel imaging technique that allows them to take a detailed look at the fatty cargo inside a single tumor cell. The tech could make it easier to understand how different cancers respond to specific treatments, among many other insights. Read more...


Retraction of SCTL Full Levitation Claim. It Was the Lorentz Force
Next Big Future / 11h
SCTL has retracted the claimed full levitation video and the claim of full levitation. They say it was from the Lorentz force. A lone researcher on the team fooled himself and uploaded the video without checking with other members of the team. SCT lab : “I apologize for causing confusion. The last video of sample ... Read more


MKBHD Calls Fisker Ocean the Worst Car and They Are Now Within 30 Days of Bankruptcy
Next Big Future / 11h
Fisker warned investors in SEC filing it could seek bankruptcy protection within 30 days, as cash reserves continue to shrink. Fisker missed an $8.4 million interest payment on March 15 and has not been able to make it in the 30-day grace period since that date. The EV maker had already idled production in Austria ... Read more


SETI Scientist Says Announcement of Alien Life Could Be Imminent
300+Futurism / 11h
Webby Awards One of the world's foremost experts in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) believes that with the help of the James Webb Space Telescope , humans are closer to discovering life outside our planet than ever before. Lisa Kaltenegger, who directs the Carl Sagan Institute at Cornell, told The Telegraph this week that because the Webb Telescope is designed to detect biosig


Steam Just Fixed a Big Refund Loophole
LifeHacker / 11h
Steam's refund policy has been a big hit with players since it was introduced in 2015. You can ask for a refund on any game within two weeks of purchase as long as you haven't played it for more than two hours. This policy is so famous, there are many speedrunners who try to finish games within this two-hour window and get a refund. Until now, this policy had a loophole: Play time didn't count fo


Can an online library of classic video games ever be legal?
Ars Technica - All content / 11h
Enlarge / The Q*Bert's so bright, I gotta wear shades. (credit: Aurich Lawson | Getty Images | Gottlieb) For years now, video game preservationists, librarians, and historians have been arguing for a DMCA exemption that would allow them to legally share emulated versions of their physical game collections with researchers remotely over the Internet. But those preservationists continue to face pus


Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, Noble Numbat, overhauls its installation and app experience
Ars Technica - All content / 11h
Enlarge / Ubuntu has come a long way over nearly 20 years, to the point where you can now render 3D Ubuntu coffee mugs and family pictures in a video announcing the 2024 spring release. (credit: Canonical) History might consider the most important aspect of Ubuntu 24.04 to be something that it doesn't have: vulnerabilities to the XZ backdoor that nearly took over the global Linux scene . Betas, a


Millions of IPs remain infected by USB worm years after its creators left it for dead
2 TTPs•
22Ars Technica - All content / 11h
Enlarge (credit: Getty Images) A now-abandoned USB worm that backdoors connected devices has continued to self-replicate for years since its creators lost control of it and remains active on thousands, possibly millions, of machines, researchers said Thursday. The worm—which first came to light in a 2023 post published by security firm Sophos—became active in 2019 when a variant of malware known


Net Neutrality Returns to a Very Different Internet
27Wired / 11h
The FCC voted 3-2 to restore net neutrality rules that had disappeared during the Trump administration.


Qualcomm claims its Snapdragon X Plus is an M3 beater, but is it really?
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 12h
Qualcomm continues to challenge both Intel and Apple in the processor market, as the tech giant claims the mid-range model of its Snapdragon X series of chips outruns the M3 in performance. It’s a bold statement that could put its chips squarely in the running for the best processors you can get in a laptop, but does it really hold water? And what would that mean for its competitors? Qualcomm rec


Fujifilm's next budget camera may house surprisingly powerful hardware
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 12h
New information on Fujifilm’s next camera, the X-T50, has recently leaked providing some insight into its performance. According to Fuji Rumors , the device will sport in-body image stabilization (IBIS). This feature will reduce the amount of camera shake to ensure crystal-clear photographs. It’s a piece of tech that can also be found on the higher-end Fujifilm X-T5 . What's more, the X-T50 is sa


Health insurance giant Kaiser will notify millions of a data breach after sharing patients’ data with advertisers
59TechCrunch / 12h
Kaiser, one of the largest healthcare organizations in the United States, said it was notifying 13.4 million members of a data breach earlier in April. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


Sanctuary’s new humanoid robot learns faster and costs less
TechCrunch / 12h
Sanctuary AI often isn’t mentioned in the same breath as humanoid robotics firms like Boston Dynamics, Agility, Figure and 1X, but the Canadian company has been operating in the space for some time. In fact, a new robot introduced on Thursday is actually the seventh-generation of its Phoenix line. While a recent iteration introduced legs […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal us


Everything Exciting About the Android 15 Beta So Far
Gizmodo / 12h
In the past, every new version of Android felt like a special occasion for the platform’s devoted users. It meant new software features, better algorithms, improved user interfaces, and maybe even something fun, like an easter egg. Read more...


Monsta X's I.M is OK with you calling him 'zaddy.' Just don't call him a gamer.
Mashable / 12h
The grind never stops for rapper I.M, who is currently preparing for a summer tour across Europe, the U.S., and Asia by beating the hell out of his abs. "[When working out] I usually separate my body into chest, back, shoulder, arm, [and] legs," he says over a Zoom call from Seoul. "But I do abs every day." As a member of the K-pop group Monsta X, I.M paired this physical brawn with lyrical machi


Developing countries are being used by hackers to try out new ransomware strains
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 12h
IT security pros are not the only ones with sandboxes and honeypots to test malware in, as hackers are doing the same - in developing parts of the world. A report from Performanta says that many hackers would first try out new malware strains in developing countries, before targeting companies in the developed world. The report claims this process is particularly effective as organizations in the


Gravitics to develop ‘tactically responsive’ orbital platforms for the Space Force
TechCrunch / 12h
The contract is part of a larger push from the Force to procure space capabilities from private industry on timelines that have been previously unheard of. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


The TikTok Ban Is Law. What Now?
Gizmodo / 12h
Read more...


Apple is forging a path towards more ethical generative AI - something sorely needed in today's AI-powered world
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 12h
Copyright is something of a minefield right now when it comes to AI , and there’s a new report claiming that Apple’s generative AI - specifically its ‘Ajax’ large language model (LLM) - may be one of the only ones to have been both legally and ethically trained. It’s claimed that Apple is trying to uphold privacy and legality standards by adopting innovative training methods. Copyright law in the


$1,500 Lesson: The Hidden Cost of Flying with Luxury Bags [Roundup]
View from the Wing / 12h
A roundup of the most important stories of the day. I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips. Continue reading ...


No, This Is Not a Pope's Exorcist Sequel, It's a Different Russell Crowe Exorcist Movie
20Gizmodo / 12h
His Jekyll and Hyde moment might have evaporated with Universal’s ill-fated Dark Universe, but Russell Crowe hasn’t turned his back on horror: on the heels of The Pope’s Exorcist , which became a surprise Netflix smash , he’s got The Exorcism—an unrelated film that obviously shares some familiar themes. Read more...


Capital One miles: How to earn, redeem and transfer rewards
The Points Guy / 12h
Transferable credit card rewards are especially valuable because of the many ways you can redeem them. You might be familiar with rewards like Chase Ultimate Rewards points and American Express Membership Rewards points. But, another transferable reward currency that can offer significant value to some travelers is Capital One miles . Capital One miles are appealing for many reasons. For example,


Is TikTok getting banned? Not yet, but you should explore alternatives
TechCrunch / 12h
As a TikTok ban gets closer to becoming a reality in the United States, it might be time to start thinking about other platforms to adopt early in case you need to fill the void left by the popular app at some point in the future. On Wednesday, President Biden signed a bill that would […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


Speaker applications close tomorrow for TechCrunch Disrupt 2024
TechCrunch / 12h
Hurry up! Our Call for Content ends tomorrow, April 26 at 11:59 p.m. PT. If you’re a startup expert eager to lead a session at TechCrunch Disrupt on October 28-30, now’s the time to apply! Submit your proposal to speak at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 before the deadline. Your topic should empower